Concurrents – Environmental Psychology: [Awe]some!
Experiencing awe is a hot topic among cognitive scientists. Researchers have learned that feeling awed does all sorts of good things for us psychologically. When we are awed, we are less impatient and feel less pressed for time. Our satisfaction with our lives gets a boost when we’re awed, which has positive ramifications for our wellbeing. A feeling of awe in workplaces is particularly desirable, because when we’re in this special state, our high-level cognitive processing power is enhanced. So, inspiring awe can be a good thing, but how can designers awe space users? Majestic natural sites, such as the Grand Canyon, awe us. But recreating the Canyon or anything remotely similar to it in a reception area or even in the landscaped space visible from that reception area or nearby offices can be quite a challenge, to say the least. Height leads us to feel awe, whether we find …
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